Touro Manhattan Physicians Assistants Don “White Coats” as they Enter the PA Profession
30 Students complete PA program
The Touro Manhattan Physician Assistant (PA) Program held its traditional “White Coat” ceremony recently, with members of the graduating PA Class of 2014 and their families and friends gathering for the milestone event that marks the completion of the students’ studies and their official entrance into the PA profession. Thirty students, with varied educational and professional backgrounds, completed the PA program, donned their new “long” medical white coats, and recited the PA professional oath while proud faculty and family members looked on (during the clinical phase of the program, the students are required to wear “short” student lab coats that designate them as being active in the learning process).
When the students recite the PA professional oath, they pledge to put the health, safety and privacy of their patients first and adhere to the profession’s Code of Ethics. The graduates, who earned the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences and the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies, are going on to work in a variety of settings under the supervision of licensed physicians, ranging from primary care providers to specialists. Many will be working with diverse patient populations, one of the missions of the program, which teaches about the impact of socioeconomic factors on health care and its availability.
